


The World is Small

by madamehomesecretary



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Airplanes, Alternate Universe, Doctor David and Barrister Julia, F/M, First Meeting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26529721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamehomesecretary/pseuds/madamehomesecretary
Summary: “Cut it a little close, didn’t you?” she asked with a smirk, noticing he seemed to have finally caught his breath as he pulled a book out of his bag.“If we’re being honest, I wasn’t even supposed to be on this flight,” he leaned forward as if he were going to confide in Julia. “And yet, here I am.”Dr. David Budd and hot shot barrister Julia Montague end up unexpectedly sharing two seats on a first class flight from New York to London.
Relationships: David Budd/Julia Montague
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	The World is Small

**Author's Note:**

  * For [volley_zei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/volley_zei/gifts).



> Just a short introduction chapter for a little AU I wrote. It may end up being three chapters, but I thought I would leave you guys hanging a little bit with their first meeting. (Love you, mean it.) I love envisioning different ways these two could meet, and thought it would be fun to change things up a little bit. 
> 
> David and Julia would be about the same age in this universe, probably in their mid-30s. :)
> 
> Gifted to my girl, Zei, for her birthday (which it still is here in the US.) Love you!

Glancing over the file in her lap, Julia Montague pinched the bridge of her nose in defeat, willing herself to focus. She had just read the same sentence for the third time. Shaking her head ruefully, she closed the folder in frustration, leaning back against her seat as she watched passengers board the aircraft. 

A woman. Then a man with a young child asleep on his shoulder. A blonde and a brunette chatting animatedly as they moved toward their seats. She began to count the passengers, trying to force herself to do something productive. Literally anything.

She had been seated for approximately 27 minutes and hadn’t managed to get a single thing done. Boarding the plane had been her way of conceding that her trip was truly over. And with the seven hour flight ahead came the harsh reality that it was time to head back to the real world, leaving the bright lights of New York City behind her. 

She sighed, taking a sip of her white wine. She hoped the free alcohol -- one of the best perks about flying first class, of course -- would help her fall asleep on the long flight, but surmounting her ever-growing to-do list had kept her mind buzzing since the moment she opened her agenda book. Looking out the window, she watched as the sun continued to disappear from the sky and closed her eyes, if only for a moment. There for a distant cousin’s wedding, Julia had only been in New York for a few days, barely long enough to even let her body adjust to time zones and see the sights. And now, it was already time to return to London, back to the hustle and bustle as one of London’s “hottest” up-and-coming barristers.

_ Whatever that means, _ Julia thought with a scoff, opening her eyes again.

Stretching her arms in front of her, her attention turned back to the passengers stepping onto the plane. The line of people had begun to thin out as the last few passengers boarded, heading for the back of the aircraft. She remembered those days, the days of flying in the middle seat on the last row in her early 20s. Thankful for reaping the benefits of a blooming career, she wasn’t upset about the change in status (and location!) as she settled into the plush first class seat, taking another sip of her wine. 

She had yet to meet her seat mate, and there was a part of her that desperately wished she wouldn’t have one for the long journey home. She glanced over at the empty seat beside her, then at the people making their way down the aisle, trying to pick out who it might be. A graying old man, who looked overly eager to chat with the unfortunate soul that was forced to sit next to him all the way across the Atlantic. He gave Julia a smile as they locked eyes. _Please, no,_ she thought, forcing a polite -- though somewhat forced -- smile in return. A young woman with cropped hair, a dancer maybe, if Julia had to guess from her build. She was wearing loungewear and Beats headphones, with a notepad tucked under her arm. _She probably wouldn’t try to make conversation, at least._ A middle-aged woman with a young baby who already seemed restless as he fussed quietly in his mother’s arms. Julia paled. _Please, God no._

When all three passed her, Julia breathed a sigh of relief she hadn’t realized she was holding. Realizing there was no one else behind them, Julia relaxed, moving her bag to her side as the captain made the announcement they would be on their way soon. Maybe she  _ had _ gotten that lucky. Just as she was beginning to get comfortable, she heard heavy footsteps coming down the aisle and inwardly groaned. This had to be her seat partner. The seat next to her was the only one still empty.

Her eyes locked on the front of the plane, expecting the worst. She didn’t have to wait long as a young man rushed into view, struggling to catch his breath from an obvious sprint to make the flight. Julia took in his appearance, noticing how attractive he was right away. It would be bloody impossible  _ not _ to notice. Tall and muscular, the man had to be in his late 20s. He ran his hand through a tousled head of curls and as she noticed a sort of peculiar gray streak at his temple, she started to second-guess his age. As he examined the rows, looking for his seat, Julia couldn’t help but examine him in return. He wore a black fitted t-shirt and jeans and as he stopped to lift a small duffel bag into the overhead compartment, she swallowed hard as she watched the muscles of his arms bulge beneath the thin fabric.

She looked away quickly as his eyes settled on the empty seat next to her, and she wondered if he had seen her staring. 

_ Pull yourself together, Julia,  _ she chided as he approached her, offering a friendly smile. 

“I believe that’s my seat,” the stranger said softly, and it took Herculean effort on Julia’s part to not let her jaw visibly drop. Not only was he gorgeous but he had an accent. 

Following his line of vision, her eyes widened as she saw her bag occupying his seat. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she hastily apologized, removing her bag from his chair and tossing it on the floor next to her feet. Offering him a smile, she glanced out the window again, trying to compose herself. She could have sworn the energy in the plane shifted when he had spoken to her just then.

“David,” he said curtly and Julia turned to look at him. 

“Hmmm?” she asked in confusion, her brow furrowing. 

“My name,” he said chuckling as he hung a garment bag on the wall behind his seat. “It’s David.” 

“Right! Oh god, of course.” Julia felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment as he settled in the seat next to her, sitting a briefcase down between them. “Sorry. Jetlag,” she offered, hoping it sounded like a legitimate excuse. 

What was wrong with her? She could fight some of the toughest legal battles in the UK, making headlines across the country, and seemed to lose herself completely when she met a handsome man.  _ Great.  _ She shook her head, trying to clear the fog that seemed to have come over it.  _ This was going to be a long flight.  _

“Nice to meet you, David,” she finally said, smiling as she offered her hand. “I’m Julia.” 

“Likewise,” he said with a wide grin, taking it in his own. She thought her heart might have stopped, though she wasn’t sure the cause: the smile, or the handshake. 

“Cut it a little close, didn’t you?” she asked with a smirk, noticing he seemed to have finally caught his breath as he pulled a book out of his bag. David looked at her, feigning nonchalance. 

“Oh, that? That was nothing!” he said, his brow lifting as Julia chuckled. 

“No, of course not.” 

“If we’re being honest, I wasn’t even supposed to be on this flight,” he leaned forward as if he were going to confide in Julia. “And yet, here I am.” 

She felt her heart hammering in her chest as she took in how his voice sounded close to her ear and how his cologne smelled as he leaned in closer to her. She silently admonished herself for what felt like the 50th time since David had taken the seat next to her. 

Just then, the pilot made an announcement to the crew about preparing for take off and Julia’s eyes flitted to the folder in her lap again. She knew she had to make a decision. She could either work through the flight and get ahead for her return to the firm on Monday … or she could chat with the handsome man next to her that she would almost certainly never see again. 

Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she knew the decision was an easy one. Maybe vacation wasn’t actually over yet. Taking the folder, she stuffed it in her bag and returned it to her feet. 

“You’re from…?” 

“Originally? Scotland. Glasgow,” he told her, resting his book on his lap. Julia let her eyes flit to the title: The World’s Emergency Room.  _ A doctor and a humanitarian,  _ she thought to herself, before her green eyes met his blue ones. 

“I’ve been in New York for a few weeks for a medical conference,” he continued. “Now, I’m on my way to Stockholm for a speaking engagement.” 

Julia’s eyes widened. 

“My, you certainly get around don’t you, Mr…” her voice trailed off as she realized she didn’t know his last name. 

“Budd,” he offered. “But please, call me David. And if it’s alright, I’ll call you Julia?” 

She nodded, feeling a pang of anticipation in her stomach. 

“Yes, Julia is just fine.” 


End file.
